Check punch



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

s. s. WILLIAMSON.

' CHECK PUNCH.

No. 431,831. Patented July 8, 1890.

(No Model.) 3 5 ShetsSheet 2.

S. S; WILLIAMSON.v

' CHECK PUNCH.

No. 431,831. Patented July 8, 1890.

(No Model) '5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

S. S. WILLIAMSON.

CHECK PUNCH.

No. 431,831. Patented July 8, 1890.

NIH! U \U l 18 10 1a M8008 l WOi" (No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet 4. S. S. WILLIAMSON. CHECK PUNGH.

Patented July 8, 1890.

lllllllllllllllllllllll llllllll Ill|IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIll (No Model.) 5 Sheets8heet 5.

,S. S. WILLIAMSON.

OHEGK PUNCH. No. 431,831. Patented July 8, 1890.

WW W02 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL S. IVILLIAMSON,OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE LIGHTNING CHECK PUNCH COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CHECK-PUNCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,831, dated July 8, 1890.

Application filed February 20, 1890. Serial No. 341,219. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. WILLIAMSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check- Punches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

' My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in check-punches, and has for its object to provide a machine of this description which shall be easy and efficient in its operation, and in which the parts shall be few in number and simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter to be fully described, and then recited in the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may fully un derstand how to make and use my improved machine, I will describe the same in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this speoification, and in Which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a machine constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a bottom plan view with the base removed; Fig. 8, a bottom plan view of the base; Fig. 4, a plan view of the casting, which comprises the check-plate and the post; Fig. 5, a bottom plan View of the same; Fig. 6, a front elevation of the same; Fig. 7, a detail sectional elevation, line y y of Fig. 6; Fig. 8, a detail edge view of the tray and presser-bar; Fig. 9, a detail bottom plan view of the tray; Fig. 10, a detail bottom plan of the presser-bar; Fig. 11, details showing the arrangement and operation of the feed ratchet and pawl.

Like numerals refer to the same parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 is the base, adapted to support the several parts of the machine, and 2 is a hollow upward projection, on which the dies are mounted in any suitable manner. The shape of this projection in plan view is shown by the dotted lines at Fig. 3. A plate 3 closes the bottom of this projection, thereby forming a receptacle, in which the cuttings from the dies collect. An opening in the plate, having a suitable cover 4., permits the removal of the cuttings. This feature of the punch is convenient, since it keeps the desk or table on which the machine is set free from the small pieces of paper which-would otherwise be deposited thereon from the dies.

Set upon the base and secured thereto by screws or other suitable fastenin gs is the head of the machine, numbered 5. This head is a hollow casting, as seen at Fig. 1, and its for ward end overhangs the base. In this over hanging portion of the head are the cuttingpunches 6, arranged each immediately above the corresponding die on the base. Each of these punches is made from a round rod, and each when in assembled position has its hearing and is guided in holes in the top and bottom of the overhanging portion of the head.

As seen at 7, each punch is pierced from front to rear between its bearings and a series of springs 8 are arranged Within the head, the end of each spring passing through the opening in one of the punches. These springs are held, as to their coiled elbow portions, in a slotted and curved plate or rack 9 within the head, and the ends not connected to the punches are secured to any convenient point inside the head, as seen at Fig. 1, where they are shown as passing into the bottom wall thereof. By the arrangement just described the springs not only serve to retract the punches after each depression, but they also prevent any rotation thereof in their bearings, thereby performing the function of a spline. By this means the manufacture of the punches is greatly simplified, since they 7 too and designed that I am able to cast them in one piece, and this greatly conduces to the simplicity and accurate working of the machine, since when made in two parts itis difficult to secure them rigidly together. As seen at 12, Figs. 4 and 6, the post portion of this casting is cored out to admit of the insertion of the feed-actuating leg 13 of the operating-lever 14, which is fulcrumed on a pin 15, near the topof the post. The post is cut away at one side. near its base to permit of the assembly and adjustment of the feeding mechanism, as seen at Figs. 6 and 7. A shoulder 16 is formed upon the post aboutmidway of its height, and a hub 17 projects from its lower end. The purpose of these features" will be more fully explained in connection with the assembly of the machine. Housings 18 are cast upon the plate for the accommodation of the feed-wheels. At 19 the bottom of the plate is hollowed or recessed to receive the connections from the operating-lever in the post to the feeding mechanism. This arrangement is rendered necessary, because in the assembled machine there must be nothing projecting below the lower face of the check-plate, so as to obstruct the free insertion of the check or otherpaper to be punched. The check-plate is open at 20 to allow of inspection of the check for purposes of locating the part to be punched, and this opening is bridged by an open stripper-plate 21, through which the punches descend, and by means whereof the paper is stripped from the punch as the latter ascends. At its lower end the leg 13 of the operating-lever has a toe 22,

which engages the longitudinally-slotted end of a link 23, whose outer extremity (see Figs. 1 and 2) is pivotally attached to bell-crank lever 24L. This link and lever lie within the recess 19 in the plate, for the purpose heretofore explained. Upon the outer end of this bell-crank lever is a flat spring-pawl 25 rigidly secured to and adapted to move with said lever.

26 is the main feed-wheel, journaled within one of the housings 18 and having its periphery projecting below the surface of the plate to the same distance as the upper feed-wheel. (Shown at Fig. 1.) Secured upon the same axis as the said feed-wheel is a ratchet-wheel 27, which is engaged by the flat face of the s pringpawl, as is seen at Figs. 2 and 11. This pawl serves both to actuate the feed-wheel by its operation of the ratchet and to lock said ratchet when at rest by engaging the tops of two teeth, the ratchet-wheel being for this pur pose the equivalent of a polygonal disk.

28 is a coiled spring, whose tangential arms engage, respectively, the rear wall of the post and the leg 13 of the operating-lever. The function of this spring is to return the lever to its normal position after it has been de pressed, and by this returning movement to effect the feeding operation. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 1 that the length of the slot into which the toe 22 takes, permits of considerable movement to the latter without operating the link. The purpose of this I arrangement is to prevent as far as'possible any feeding of the check, except after a character has been punched therein. When therefore the operating-lever is depressed, the toe, during the first part of the movement of the lever, traverses the length of the slot without moving the link. When the toe reaches the end wall of the slot, the punch has descended nearly to the paper, and during the remainder of its travel, the toe carries the link with it. The movement of the link through the bellcrank lever traverses the spring-pawl relative to the ratchet-wheel far enough so that said pawl engages with its edge a tooth of said wheel, as seen at the detail figures showing the feed. Upon the return movement of the lever, which, as aforesaid, is effected by the spring 28, the toe again travels the length of the slot before it imparts any movement to the link. When it engages the end wall of the slot, it carries the link with it for the remainder of its return-stroke, whereby the pawl turns the ratchet on the feed-wheel one tooth and then locks said ratchet-wheel, as heretofore described. The end attained by this arrangement is that no operative movement of the pawl is effected by anything less than the full or nearly full downward sweep of the operating-lever, and likewise, after the punching operation,the punch has fully cleared the check before any feeding movement of the latter takes place.

29 is the check-tray, between which and the check-plate the paper to be punched is inserted. At its rear corners this tray is provided with lugs 30, through which, by means of screws or pins, it is pivotally secured to ears 31 on the rear corners of the check-plate. (See Figs. 2 and 8.)

An idle feed-wheel 32, adapted to co-operate with the pawl-operated feed-wheel, is journaled in bearings 33 on the tray, and a second idle-wheel 34 is journaled in a springyoke 35, so as to co-operate with a wheel 36 on the check-plate.

37 is the presser-bar closely adapted to the edges of the check-plate. At its rear ends said presser-bar is rigidly secured, as by screws, to the check-tray, (see Fig. 8,) so that the two parts move as one piece. A pair of springs 38 are secured to the check-plate, and the outwardly-proj ectin g ends of these sprin gs bear against the under side of the presserbar, and thereby said bar is normally held in the same plane as the check-plate, and the two pairs of co-operating feed-wheels are held in engagement. 2

39 is a lip on the presser-bar, which limits the upward movement thereof by engaging the check-plate.

The rigid attachment of the tray an d presserbarkeeps the parts always parallel and causes the former to move downward away from the check-plate and the two pairs of feed-wheels to separate for the free insertion of the check by a slight depression of the presser-bar.

Upon release of the latter the springs 38 return both parts to their normal position, as seen at Fig. 1.

The assembly of the three principal parts of the machine-namely, the base, the head, and the combined post and check-plate-is accomplished by first inserting the post from beneath into its bearing in the head, which latter is a tubular inward projection, marked 40. The head and its contained post are then set upon the base, the hub on the bottom of the post entering a bearing in the top of said base. The base and head are then secured together by ordinary screws or bolts. These are shown at Fig. 2 and are designated by the number 42. The operating-lever is inserted by passing the feed-operating leg inward through the slotted front of the post before the assembly above described, or downward from the top after such assembly, the top of the post being finished by the attachment of an ornamental knob, as 41.

I claim- 1. In a check-punch, the combination, with suitable punching devices and the checkplate, of the main feed-wheel having a ratchetwheel secured thereto, the bell-crank lever 24, and an operative connection between said bell-crank and the operating-lever, and the fiat spring-pawl 25, rigidly secured to the outer arm of said lever and adapted both to operate the ratchet-wheel and to lock the same, substantially as described.

2. In a machineof the character described, the combination,with suitable punching mechanism and the check-plate, of the operatinglever, a slotted link engaged and operated in both directions by the lower end of said opcrating-lever, the bell-crank lever 24, pivoted within the recessed under surface of the checkplate and operated by the link, the springpawl 25, rigidly secured to said bell-crank lever, and the ratchet-wheel and feed-wheel engaged and operated by said pawl, all arranged as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a check-punch,the combination, with the check-plate, the same having its under surface recessed, as shown at 19, of the main feed-wheel and ratchet-wheel j ournaled in the plate, the bell-crank, and the pawl engaging the ratchet-wheel, and a connection between the bell-crank and the operating-lever, all of said feed-operatin g parts lying in said recess, whereby the insertion of the paper to be punched may be unimpeded,substantially as set forth.

4. In a check-punch of the character described, the combination, with the head, of a series of punches guided and adapted to move in said head, a rack secured within said head and provided with slots arranged radially relative to the punches, and a series of helical springs whose coiled portions are seated in the slots of the rack, the arms of each spring engaging, respectively, with a seat in the head and with a transverse hole in one of the punch-shanks, whereby the punches are retracted in their bearings and are also held as against axial movement, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In amachine of the character described, the combination, with the check-plate and the feeding-rolls mounted in said plate, of the check-tray arranged beneath the check-plate, the presser-bar secured rigidly to said checktray and arranged in the same plane as the check-plate, and springs interposed between the check-plate and the presser-bar, whereby the engagement of the feeding-wheels is insured, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the check-plate and the feeding-rolls carried thereby, of the check-tray and presser-bar secured rigidlytogether, so as to operate as an integral part and pivoted at the rear of the check-plate, the springs secured to said check-plate and engaging the presser-bar, and a stop on the presser bar engaging the check-plate and adapted to limit the upward movement of the bar, substantially as specified.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination,with the punching mechanism and the check-plate, of the operating-lever having the downwardly-extending leg, a sliding link having an elongated slot engaged by said leg, and a connect-ion between said link and the main feed-wheel pawl, whereby the latter is actuated by the last of the downward movement of the operating-lever and again by the last half of the upward or return movement of said lever, substantially as specified.

8. In a check-punch, as described, the combination, with the punching devices, the post, and the check-plate, of the operating-lever having a downwardly-extending leg, the link having an elongated slot longitudinal thereof and engaged loosely by the leg, the bell-crank lever and pawl operated by the link, and the ratchet-wheel and main feed-wheel actuated by said pawl, as specified.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with the punching mechanism, of the movable check-supporting plate having an opening in its central portion to admit of theinspection of the check, a punchstripper formed or secured across this open ing, and clamping and feeding wheels arranged beneath the check-supporting plate, whereby the paper to be punched is held against the lower face of said plate and is moved relative thereto for the proper spacing of the characters.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with the punching mechanism and means for operating the check, of the operating-lever, the feeding mechanism, and a connection having lost motion between said lever and the feeding mechanisni, whereby the latter is operated in each direction by the last half of the movement of the former in the same direction, substantially as described.

11. In a machine of the character described,

IIO

IO ing' contained Within the recessed portion of said checkp1ate, whereby free entrance is afforded to the check, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

SAMUEL S. WVI LLIAMSON.

\Vitnesses:

S. H. HUBBARD, JOHN A. NORTON. 

